Euphoria season 3: Release date, cast and latest news

*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Euphoria season 2.*

There's only a couple of months now until the release of the third season of Euphoria but with the sad news of the passing of Eric Dane, the TV world continues to be in mourning for the actor.

The tragic news of Dane's death comes less than a year after he announced his ALS diagnosis, a type of motor neurone disease. It is understood that Dane did shoot scenes for season 3 of Euphoria and did so in a wheelchair due to his health.

At the time, Dane told People: "I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time."

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson paid tribute to Dane following the news of his passing, saying in a statement shared with Variety: "I’m heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric. Working with him was an honor. Being his friend was a gift. Eric’s family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing."

More recently, the official trailer for Euphoria season 3 dropped and teased more trouble for Rue (Zendaya) as she's pestered by drug dealers, wedding bells for Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) and Nate (Jacob Elordi), as well as plenty of other drama. The new footage also teases online chaos for Cassie, and a reunion between Rue and Jules (Hunter Schafer).

Picking up five years after the events of season 2, this third season will see the cast navigating life outside of high school for the first time.

As well as returning cast members like Zendaya, Schafer, Sweeney, Elordi and Colman Domingo, set pictures of the third season have also confirmed the return of Alexa Demie. There's also a couple of new cast additions, with more on them below.

With that in mind, when is the third season set to be released? Read on for everything we know so far about Euphoria season 3.

Euphoria season 3 release date: When is it coming out?

The third season is coming to our screens on 13th April, 2026 on Sky Atlantic and NOW - four years after season 2.

It had initially been reported that the series would be returning in 2025, but after multiple delays due to many factors including the cast's complex schedules and the dual writer-actor strikes in 2023, production only kicked off back in February.

HBO announced at the beginning of February 2022 that Euphoria would be back for season 3 so it's certainly been quite the wait for new episodes.

"Sam, Zendaya, and the entire cast and crew of Euphoria have taken season 2 to extraordinary heights, challenging narrative convention and form, while maintaining its heart," said Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO Programming.

"We couldn't be more honoured to work with this gifted, wildly talented team or more excited to continue our journey with them into season 3."

Who's returning in the Euphoria season 3 cast?

The following returning cast members have been confirmed for Euphoria season 3.

• Zendaya as Rue Bennett
• Hunter Schafer as Jules Vaughn
• Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs
• Alexa Demie as Maddy Perez
• Sydney Sweeney as Cassie Howard
• Eric Dane as Cal Jacobs
• Maude Apatow as Lexi Howard
• Chloe Cherry as Faye
• Colman Domingo as Ali Muhammed
• Austin Abrams as Ethan Daley

Zendaya will be reprising her role of Rue, with Casey Bloys, HBO's Chief Content Officer, telling TVLine: "She's going to be in season 3."

Back in November 2024, it was confirmed that Storm Reid would not be returning as Gia Bennett, with the Last of Us actress speaking about the decision more recently. Talking to TMZ, she confirmed she's not in the upcoming season but admitted that she's "so excited to watch it, I can’t wait".

As for why she won't be returning, Reid explained that she "got stuff going on" and was about to graduate from USC, adding that "schedules just can’t align sometimes."

Schafer admitted on the Call Her Daddy podcast in August 2024 that she has "no f**king idea what's going on" with season 3, but she was later confirmed to be returning alongside co-stars including Sydney Sweeney, Maude Apatow, Jacob Elordi and Alexa Demie.

Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Sweeney was asked how it feels to be returning to the character, to which the actress admitted that "Cassie is crazy", adding: "Oh, she’s even worse."

Sweeney's comments follow her recent reveal that the third season of Euphoria is seriously unhinged, telling Empire magazine: "She is crazy. She makes so many mistakes. She’s flawed on so many levels, but she does it all from a place of love.

"It could be a sad version of love, as well. It’s so much fun to play a character that is as crazy as she is.

"Sam [Levinson] is such a brilliant filmmaker to work with, because I’ll read something, then I’ll call him, and I’m like, ‘Let’s go crazier.’ And he’s like, ‘I’m all in.’ And this season is unhinged."

Colman Domingo confirmed his own involvement in an interview, while Dominic Fike's return was also later confirmed.

One fan-favourite character who won't be returning is Fez, following the tragic death of actor Angus Cloud in July 2023.

Yet, it remains to be seen if they will find a way to incorporate Cloud into the third season through pre-recorded footage. We left his character in a precarious situation (but alive) after being shot in the stomach in the finale, before being taken into police custody.

Long-term cast member Barbie Ferreira, who played Kat in the series, will also not be returning for the upcoming third season.

"After four years of getting to embody the most special and enigmatic character, Kat, I’m having to say a very teary-eyed goodbye," she wrote in an Instagram story, alongside a photo of fan art made by her co-star Hunter Schafer.

With the sad news of Eric Dane's passing, many fans may be wondering if he's set to appear in season 3. However, Dane's rep did confirm to People that he filmed scenes prior to his death.

New stars will be joining for the new season, including Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Toby Wallace, Sharon Stone, Rosalía, Danielle Deadwyler, Marshawn Lynch, Anna Van Patten, Asante Blackk, Bella Podaras, Bill Bodner, Cailyn Rice, Christopher Ammanuel, Christopher Grove, Colleen Camp and Darrell Britt-Gibson.

Also rounding out the cast are newcomers Eli Roth, Gideon Adlon, Hemky Madera, Homer Gere, Jack Topalian, James Landry Hébert, Jeff Wahlberg, Jessica Blair Herman, Justin Sintic, Kadeem Hardison and Kwame Patterson.

They'll be joined by even more new additions that include: Madison Thompson, Matthew Willig, Meredith Mickelson, Natasha Lyonne, Priscilla Delgado, Rebecca Pidgeon, Sam Trammell, Smilez, Trisha Paytas, Tyler Lawrence Gray, and Vinnie Hacker.

What is the plot of Euphoria season 3?

Levinson has described the third season of the show as a "film noir". Speaking to Elle, he explained he hopes to "explore what it means to be an individual with principles in a corrupt world."

Most importantly, seeing as it's been three years since season 2, it has been confirmed that season 3 will feature a time jump away from high school.

"It’s important because there’s only so much high school drama you can deal with," Zendaya said to Entertainment Weekly's The Awards podcast, and quipped: "'And then she cheats on her boyfriend again!'"

It appears many strands will be picked up from the season 2 finale, including the reveal of Cassie's relationship with her best friend Maddy's boyfriend, Nate. And this season, Levinson has confirmed, they're getting married!

Speaking at an HBO Max presentation in London back in December, Levinson said of the new season (via Variety): "We basically pick up Rue [Zendaya] south of the border in Mexico, in debt to Laurie [Kelly], trying to come up with some very innovative ways to pay it off."

"And then Cassie [Sweeney] is living in the suburbs with Nate [Elordi], they’re engaged and she’s very addicted to social media and envious of what appears to be the big lives that all of her high school classmates are living at this point in time."

He promised: "I feel strongly this is our best season yet… I will say that Cassie and Nate do in fact get married. I’m confirming it. And I promise that it will be an unforgettable night."

But can Cassie and Maddy mend their friendship?

Levinson added that "Maddy [Demie] is working in Hollywood at a talent agency for a manager, she’s obviously got her own side hustles going. And Lexi [Apatow] is an assistant to a showrunner played by Sharon Stone, who is just absolutely delightful and a true icon," while also revealing that "Jules [Schafer] is in art school, very nervous about having a career as a painter and trying to avoid responsibility at all costs."

Is there a trailer for Euphoria season 3?

Yes, and you can watch it below:

Euphoria is available to watch on Sky Atlantic and NOW with an Entertainment Membership.

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